Tanglewood free essay sample

There are thirteen strategic staffing decisions that should be identified and examined when developing a staffing plan. A change to any of these decisions can completely alter the entire staffing plan. Tanglewood department stores are a unique brand based upon how operations are handled, especially in relation to human resources and staffing. With the rate of Tanglewood’s expansion it is critically important to align all human resources policies and practices, especially those on staffing. Acquire and Develop Talent-Most operations use a â€Å"pure staffing strategy† which basically means focusing on quality and not quantity. Tanglewood should not adopt this strategy at this time. With the acquisition of stores, the focus should be on training and development to have a uniformed style of employee. This means that when staffing plans are developed they should look for candidates who are willing to learn about the company, the customers and develop skills to meet the requirements of the company. We will write a custom essay sample on Tanglewood or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This does not mean we won’t be diverse in the hiring process but it does mean that meeting the minimum qualifications is not enough. Lag or Lead System -Tanglewood should implement and operate with the lead system. Tanglewood has no option here as people have already been acquired from the previous mergers. External or Internal Hiring-For corporate and management positions it is recommend that Tanglewood use internal hiring. This allows new managers to use their tanglewood experience to their advantage in their new role. This also works well due to our acquisitions because there may be operating procedures by the individual stores that would be beneficial to the entire company. For entry level positions, it will be necessary to hire externally. Core of flexible workforce-With the industry being retail, there will be a need to have both core and flexible workers. Core workers provided stability and help keep training costs down while for seasonal purposes flexible workers allow Tanglewood to operate effectively. Hire or Retain- Retaining employees allows Tanglewood to expand and grow because there will be experienced personnel more readily available. There must also be an effort on external recruitment to recruit talent and new personnel who may have exceptional experience with another retail outlet. National or Global- National staffing plan should be in plan; globalization leads to increased recruiting costs and has no benefit to the company. Attract or Relocate- The effort to relocate should be made, if this is unable to occur due to lack of internal candidates whom are eligible, then attracting new candidates would be necessary. Understaff or Overstaff- Tanglewood should overstaff employees with the current expansion in place. In a retail environment there will be call offs, early outs and no shows. Having staff allows tanglewood to move associates to other departments and call associates in with short notice. Hire or Acquire- There is no option as Tanglewood has recently acquired many employees. Person/Job or Person/Organization match- This should be implemented to assure new hires are able to blend into company culture and ensure customer satisfaction. Tanglewood free essay sample 1. Develop a detailed selection plan for this position. In this case, you should determine what you want to measure by analyzing KSAOs from the job description and the information on organizational culture in the case, and fitting the selection measures into the plan format as shown in Exhibit 8. 2 in the book. The current selection methods are the experience check, education check, Marshfield Applicant Exam, and the Retail Knowledge Test. Do not include the current interview as part of the selection plan. Selection Plan Format for Managerial Position at Tanglewood Major KSAO Category Necessary for selection? Y/N EdC ExC MAE RKT 1. Communication skills Y X X 2. Knowledge of organizational policies and regulations N 3. Decision making judgment/skills Y X X 4. Managerial skills Y X 5. Customer service experience and knowledge Y X X X 6. Reasoning abilities Y X X 7. Knowledge of personal management regulations Y X X 8. Knowledge of retail management: policies and practices Y X X X 9. We will write a custom essay sample on Tanglewood or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Technical knowledge N 10. Strategic abilities. Ability to develop solutions to complex conflicts. Y X X 11. Skill in interpreting and analyzing financial data and performing financial operations. Y X X X EdC = Education check; ExC = Experience Check; MAE= Marshfield Applicant Exam; RKT = Retail Knowledge Test 3. Develop initial interview questions. Staffing services believes that a half-hour interview will be appropriate, with about 3 minutes per interview question. They would like 5 behavioral interview questions and 5 situational interview questions. Each interview question should have a very specific KSAO target as shown in the example. Behavioral Questions: 1. Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision that benefitted the company, but went against your personal values. 2. Tell me about a time you had to go beyond your comfort zone and personal limits to satisfy an unhappy customer. 3. Tell me about a time you received news that an employee was violating workplace regulations. How did you confront that employee and go about solving the conflict? 4. Tell me about a time you offered constructive criticism to an employee regarding workplace responsibilities. How did you broach the subject and create an effective solution to the problem that the employee both clearly understood and willingly complied with? 5. Tell me about a time you received a complaint about one of your employees. How did you approach the matter and bring up the subject with the employee? Situational Questions: 1. Suppose you received an anonymous complaint that a certain employee was sexually harassing other employees in the workplace. How would you handle the situation? 2. Suppose an irate customer demands compensation that exceeds company policy (i. e a large discount or store credit in a situation where it is not a valid option). How would you resolve the conflict and ensure customer satisfaction? 3. An employee has been engaging in dishonest and illegal activity. While it is not felony activity, there can be legal repercussions. How do you deal with this employee? Would there be legal repercussions? 4. An employee is not correctly and fully meeting job responsibilities and expectations. This employee reports to another manager in the store. Who would you confront about the issue, and how would you handle the situation? 5. Suppose you are halfway through a financial quarter and are nowhere close to meeting your goal for sales. You are expected to increase sales dramatically in order to remain as close to your sales goal as possible. How do you go about this, and what steps would you take? 4. Develop a scoring key for each interview question. This means you will have ten different scoring keys. Question 1 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Requires applicant to provide a response where they struggled between personal values and job responsibilities and how they overcame this. Performance Dimensions Task: identify job duties and compare to ethical issues Knowledge: legal issues, duties, personal values Skill: decision making Ability: conflict solving Question Tell me about a time when you had to make a decision that benefitted the company, but went against your personal values. Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention a specific incident 2: Applicants mentions a situation, but fails to mention a solution. 3: Applicant identifies a solution and provides and acceptable solution. 4: Applicant successfully identifies a significant situation and provides a solution in a way that exhibits their skills and abilities. Interviewer Comments Legal issues are not so much important as exhibition of skills and abilities regarding job duties and personal values. Question 2 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Requires applicant to explain a time they provided excellent customer service. Performance Dimensions Task: Identify customer in need, effectively seek a solution which results in customer satisfaction. Knowledge: customer service Skill: Judgment Ability: Effective communication; inductive reasoning. Question Tell me about a time you had to go beyond your comfort zone and personal limits to satisfy an unhappy customer. Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention concepts related to customer service. 2: Applicant identifies concepts related to customer service, but fails to provide a solution. 3: Applicant identifies concepts related to customer service and provides a solution. 4: Applicant fulfills requirements of 3, and exhibits KSAOs. Interviewer Comments Applicant was satisfied with the question and thought it greatly contributed to the interview process. Question 3 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Behavioral interview question requiring the applicant to provide a response about an employee violating workplace regulations. Performance Dimensions Task: Absorb information about employee violation, confront employee in an ethical, professional manner. Knowledge: personal management Skill: Communication skills, personal management, judgment and decision making Ability: Effective communication, reasoning, listening aptitude. Question Tell me about a time you received news that an employee was violating workplace regulations. How did you confront that employee and go about solving the conflict? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention a situation. 2: Applicant mentions a situation, but fails to provide a solution. 3: Applicant provides a situation and a solution. 4. Applicant fulfills requirements listed in 3, and also exhibits expected KSAOs. Interviewer Comments Applicant felt this was a personal question. Question 4: Job Title Department Manager Item Description Behavioral question asking applicant to identify a situation where they had to offer constructive criticism to an employee. Performance Dimensions Task: Offer constructive criticism to an employee that is not meeting workplace standards. Knowledge: personal management, effective communication skills Skill: effective mentoring, reasoning, personal management Ability: Effective communication Question Tell me about a time you offered constructive criticism to an employee regarding workplace responsibilities. How did you broach the subject and create an effective solution to the problem that the employee both clearly understood and willingly complied with? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention an applicable situation 2: Applicant mentions an applicable situation, but fails to mention how they resolved the problem. 3. Applicant identifies a situation and a solution. 4. Applicant fulfills requirements for score 3, and exhibits KSAOs in their explanation. Interviewer Comments Method of approach is crucial, as are ethical considerations. Question 5 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Behavioral question in which applicant is asked to respond to a customer complaint about an employee. Performance Dimensions Task: Listen to complaint. Use decision making skills to approach employee and propose an effective solution. Knowledge: Personal management, legal/workplace regulations. Skill: decision making, conflict resolution Ability: Communication, listening aptitude, decision making. Question Tell me about a time you received a complaint about one of your employees. How did you approach the matter and bring up the subject with the employee? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to find a workplace solution to solve the conflict at hand. 2: Applicant uses limited reasoning to find a solution to the problem. Uses communication skills. 3. Applicant uses reasonable judgment, communication skills and inductive reasoning. 4: Applicant meets requirements of score 3, and also demonstrates excellent personal management concepts. Interviewer Comments Legalities may not be necessary considerations for this question, depending on the complaint. Question 6 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Situational question asking the applicant to address legal concerns and resolve the conflict at hand. Performance Dimensions Task: Process concerns. Talk with offending employee and discuss legal repercussions. Knowledge: Knowledge of law and workplace regulations Skill: Problem solving, employee directing Ability: Effective communication of protocol Question Suppose you received an anonymous complaint that a certain employee was sexually harassing other employees in the workplace. How would you handle the situation? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention legal concepts and how they addressed the situation with such 2: Applicant shows sufficient knowledge of legal concepts. 3: Applicant demonstrates sufficient knowledge of legal concepts and provides conflict resolution. 4: Applicant fulfills requirements of score 3, and also demonstrates effective application of preventative measures to ensure the conflict does not happen again. Interviewer Comments Candidate felt this was a well-worded question that addressed an important workplace issue. Candidate felt it is important for managers to be able to effectively adhere to this sort of issue. Question 7 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Situational question requiring applicant to provide an original solution based on personal judgment to effectively resolve the conflict. Product Dimension Task: Communicate effectively with the customer. Knowledge: customer service practices, company policies Skill: judgment, decision making Ability: effective communication, decision making, develop original solution to conflict Question Suppose an irate customer demands compensation that exceeds company policy (i. e a large discount or store credit in a situation where it is not a valid option). How would you resolve the conflict and ensure customer satisfaction? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to demonstrate customer service practices knowledge and fails to comply with company policy 2: Applicant sufficiently follows company policy, but fails to demonstrate customer service knowledge. 3: Applicant sufficiently follows company policy and customer service practices. 4: Applicant complies with company policy and demonstrates excellent customer service practices. Interviewer Comments Candidate felt this was a great question for a common situation in the retail industry. Question 8 Job Title Department Manager Item Description A situational question asking candidate to respond to a situation with legal repercussions. Product Dimensions Task: Engage in documentation and gathering of evidence against employee. Approach employee and take disciplinary action and compose an effective solution to prevent repeat offenses. Knowledge: legal procedures, inductive reasoning, communication. Skill: inductive reasoning, application of legal procedures, communication Ability: Effective problem solving/reasoning, effective communication, personal management Question An employee has been engaging in dishonest and illegal activity. While it is not felony activity, there can be legal repercussions. How do you deal with this employee? Would there be legal repercussions? Scoring Key 1: Applicant fails to mention consequences and legal ramifications. 2: Applicant demonstrates sufficient knowledge for legal repercussions, but not the relevance to the situation. Does not provide a satisfactory solution. 3: Applicant demonstrates sufficient knowledge of legal repercussions, and effectively implements them. 4: Applicant fills requirements of score 3, and also an innovative, original solution to ensure the conflict does not arise again. Interviewer Comments Candidate felt this was especially crucial to the interview process, as legal issues are a commonplace issue in the workplace these days. Question 9 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Situational question that requires employer to eliminate performance issues and demonstrate knowledge and accurate observation of employee interaction with other managers. Product Dimensions Task: Communicate with appropriate individuals regarding the issue and effectively eliminate lack of production. Knowledge: personal management, company policy and job requirements knowledge Skill: decision making, communication, personal management Ability: effective communication Question An employee is not correctly and fully meeting job responsibilities and expectations. This employee reports to another manager in the store. Who would you confront about the issue, and how would you handle the situation? Scoring Key 1: Applicant shows knowledge of personal management, but fails to provide a detailed course of action. 2: Applicant demonstrates knowledge of personal management, gives an answer but does not completely resolve the conflict 3: Applicant shows knowledge of personal management, and provides a solution and successfully resolves performance issues. 4: Applicant meets requirements of score 3, and also thoroughly discusses preventative actions taken. Interviewer Comments Candidate felt that incident documentation and repercussions were necessary. Question 10 Job Title Department Manager Item Description Situational question requiring the candidate to formulate effective methods to increase sales. Product Dimensions Task: Formulate effective strategies to increase sales. Knowledge: sales processes. Skill: Rational decision making. Ability: Communication practices, inductive reasoning, composition of original and innovative solutions. Question Suppose you are halfway through a financial quarter and are nowhere close to meeting your goal for sales. You are expected to increase sales dramatically in order to remain as close to your sales goal as possible. How do you go about this, and what steps would you take? Scoring Key 1: Applicant’s plan fails to mention sales concepts and solution is not creative enough. 2: Applicant develops a sufficient plan, but it is clear they are not confident or knowledgeable enough in this field. Again, solution is not creative enough. 3: Applicant provides a sufficient plan and demonstrates sufficient knowledge of sales forecasting and concepts. Solution is acceptable. 4: Applicant meets requirements of number 3, and also demonstrates a thorough understanding of sales concepts and is able to provide an effective, original solution to the problem. Interviewer Comments Perhaps in future interviews ask candidates to supply a personal example of when they had to do something like this.